**Janeway's PHD is a pure figment of my imagination***There comes a time in each Star trek fanfiction authors life where they must write a malfunctioning turbo lift story. This Chapter is mine. Forgive me!****
The three weeks that Voyager's crew spent on vacation were three weeks well spent. As Nelix predicted the crew was reasonable about what they brought back on board. Voyager lifted off the planet with more dilithium then when she landed and was in tip top shape due to a complete overhaul from bow to stern. The crew had not been this relaxed and confidant since they left DS Nine seven years earlier. Janeway and Seven's relationship had progressed rapidly. By the time they were back in space Seven was moved in to the Captain's quarters. She hated leaving to regenerate but the alcove couldn't be accommodated in such a small space.
Janeway responded to the chime at her door, "Come." Chakotay came in with a smile on his face. "Something amusing Commander? She inquired.
Chakotay rubbed his forehead while his smile grew larger. "Yes actually there is. We need to assign a few extra crewmembers for training in sick bay." Janeway cocked her eyebrow as a sign to continue.
"It seems in a moment of uncharacteristic lack of foresight the Doctor has provided us with five pregnant crewmen with the same due date. It is possible we will be delivering multiple babies at the same time. And Crewman Standish is expecting twins!"
Janeway shook her head, rolled her eyes and chuckled all in the same movement. "Assign whomever you see fit. Just make sure they have non-essential duties from the week before the due date until all of the little ones arrive. We want them fresh when the time comes and don't want to be rushing around for coverage."
"Aye Captain." The two officers shared a smile as he turned to leave.
As most parents know babies don't consider the consequences of their timing and these were no different from most. Four of the children decided to arrive just after the ship was hit by an electronic special anomaly. Thankfully the systems effected were non-essential or had back up. Of course if you are trapped in a turbo lift with a woman in late labor transporters and lifts suddenly seem pretty essential.
"Janeway to Ensign Kim."
"Kim here Captain."
"How long until transports are on line?"
"We are on back up life support now. Lt Torres plans on getting to transporters and lifts as soon as primary life support and weapons systems are repaired."
Janeway looked over at crewman James. There was panic in her eyes as she heard the Ensign's reply. "She is expecting to begin on transporters in about two hours Captain."
With her command mask in place Janeway was able to hide her own panic from the frightened woman.
"Thank you Ensign. Please inform the Lt. That Crewman James and I are stuck in the lift and would appreciate rescue as soon as the ship is not in danger. Janeway out."
The Captain took a deep breath and again tapped her combadge. "Janeway to sick bay."
When Tal Celes responded "Sick bay here Captain."
It didn't occur to the Captain that she could recognize the voice of any crewmember over the com. She didn't think about what that said of her connection to the crew. She just grew anxious that it wasn't the Doctor who answered her hail.
"Ensign Tal could you activate the Doctor. I would like to speak to him."
"Sorry Captain the holograph imagers are being disrupted by the residual energy from the anomaly. Even the Doctor's mobile emitter is effected." Janeway pretended not to hear the whimper of fear that came from her lift mate.
"Are there any casualties?"
"No ma'am but three of our babies are trying to be born. I have the back up team here with me so no worries." Janeway took a deep breath.
"Crewman James and I are detained in the turbo lift. It seems that it is four children planning to be born today. Expect us there as soon as repairs are completed."
"Aye Captain." Janeway heard hesitation in Ensign Tal's voice as she continued. "Is there something I can do to help you Captain?"
Frustrated Janeway was unable to keep her voice neutral as she responded sharply. "You tell me. Is there anything you can do to help me?"
Loud moans were heard in the background as the Ensign replied slowly. "I can't think of anything Captain."
"Mmmm, Janeway out" was the next thing the worried Ensign heard.
The Captain forced a look of confidence on her face as she turned to the petrified woman standing next to her. She gently placed her hand on the younger woman's shoulder and spoke in a reassuring tone. "Looks like we are going to spending some time together." The very pregnant crewman looked down at her feet.
"Oh come on, I am not that bad." Janeway gave her a crooked smile.
"Captain, I am going to have my baby any minute. What are we going to do." Tears were forming in the young mother's eyes.
Janeway replied in a relaxed yet commanding way. "Well my thought is that if you are going to have a baby any minute we should deliver him or her. Women have been doing it for centuries and most of them were not star ship Captains. So are we having a boy or girl?"
Buoyed by the Captain's calm response the ensign replied with a little less fear in her voice. "It is a girl."
"Well don't worry crewman she will be fine. I am from a traditionalist back ground. This will not be my first delivery. Usually a woman's first child takes a long time in coming so I think we should just relax and wait for Lt Torres to get you where you need to be."
The Crewman gave a big sigh of relief at the Captain's words. As she expelled the breath she felt a warm gush of liquid expel from her body. She began to panic again. Janeway noticed the fluid and realized its meaning. "Well she said sardonically. I guess no one gave your daughter that little piece of wisdom." Janeway forced a bright smile and continued.
"Alright Ensign lets get you lying down and your pants off looks like we have a job to do." James backed away in terror and shook her head no even as she moaned in pain. The Captain put her hands on the young woman's arm and tried to guide her gently to the floor. James resisted. In frustration Janeway barked out a reprimand. "Get down on the floor and take your pants off. That is an order Crewman James."
Wide eyed the young woman lowered her self to the floor. The silence in the lift was deafening. And then both women burst out in shock relieving laughter. It was several minutes before they could calm themselves and it was only a large contraction that brought them back to reality. "Lilly I know that this situation is awkward but we can get through it. You just need to forget I am your commanding officer." Janeway hoped the use of the young woman's first name would make it easier for her to relax. It didn't so she tried another tack.
"Did you know that after I graduated from the Academy I continued to attend classes as I went through the ranks?"
James shook her head no.
"Yes I did a doctorial theses that was instrumental in developing the bio-neural gel packs that we use on Voyager. Of course if I had to do it again I would include ways to repair and recreate them if your ship gets thrown 70,000 light years from home. They do say hind sight is twenty-twenty." James grinned at her Captain.
"So anyway when I get messages from people in the civilian world they are sometimes addressed to 'The Dr. Captain Kathryn Janeway. It is kind of cumbersome but it is the way its done in the academic circles." Knowing that the crewman would never be able to get her head around calling her Kathryn, Janeway continued. "So if it would make you feel more comfortable you could drop the captain for now. Dr Janeway or just Dr would actually be appropriate. And I will call you Lilly.
Lilly looked at the Captain doubtfully and nodded her head. Noticing the young woman's eyes drift to her command red shoulders Janeway pulled off her tunic. "And we will call this baby blanket." Janeway crouched down to Lillie's level and looked closely in her eyes.
"You need to remove your pants so I can see how you are doing. There is no need to be shy."
The young woman began to do as she was asked and then said with a sheepish smile Thanks Dr, will do."
Janeway was quickly examining the young woman to try and figure out how much time they had. "Ok so lets see how well you paid attention in your child birth classes. Tell me what's going to happen and what you are going to be doing throughout the process."
The young woman looked clearly confused as to why this was necessary. "Lilly I need to know how prepared you are for what is about to happen. I wasn't in your class so I don't know what you are expecting. Humor me and take me though the class. Besides it will give us something to talk about."
As Lilly went through a blow by blow of the curriculum the Dr. Captain Janeway took careful mental notes. Fortunately the Doctor had been as verbose as always. The repeat of his lecture gave Janeway the information she needed to get the job done. In Janeway's opinion Voyager has had more turbo lift situations then most. She was grateful that this had resulted her order to put a med kit in every lift. Janeway had the tools and the knowledge all she had to do was wait and hope that Lt Torres would show up before the baby.
It was not to be. Forty-Five minutes later Kathryn's ears were ringing from Lilly's screams as she cleaned off her newest crewmember. The med kit wasn't prepared for such a messy event but Kathryn did her best for mother and child. When Lilly was able to pull her eyes away from her new daughter she saw Janeway pulling off her turtleneck.
"I need to clean you up a little Lilly, Ok?" She indicated that the shirt would be used as a wash cloth.
By this time Lilly was truly thinking of Janeway as a Dr not Captain. She was completely comfortable with the intimacy of the situation. But as the turtleneck shirt came over Janeway's head Lilly watched a flash of discomfort and embarrassment flicker on the older woman's face.
"Hey Doc," Lilly said. "When we get out of here I am going to ask the Captain to put a commendation in your file." As intended the humor broke the heaviness of the moment.
"Why thank you Lilly. Make sure you bring the baby with you when you do. I am sure she would be delighted to speak to you both. By the way what is her name?"
Lilly looked down at her baby. "Well it kind of depends. Three of us wanted the same name so first girl born gets it. I have to see who was first before I know." Janeway nodded.
"Well then lets find out." She touched her combadge. "Janeway to sick bay."
Tal Celes voice came over the com. "Sick bay here Captain."
"Report."
"All is going well here. Crewman Johnson has a handsome new son. The Standish twins are taking their time but that is often the case with new mothers. It looks like they will arrive within the hour"
Janeway smiled at Lilly. "You will be pleased to know that Crewman James has a little girl who just arrived safe and sound. They will be there for a check up as soon as possible."
"That is wonderful Captain. Congratulations to the new mother."
From the back ground the women heard someone holler out. "Way to go Lilly, you brat! Yours may be first but mine's going to be cuter!" The speaker's words turned in to a loud moan as Janeway ended the hail.
The Captain raised her eyebrows in question. Lilly looked up shyly. "She is the first. We win" Lilly began to blush. " I didn't know I would be telling you this myself but her name is Kathryn, Kathryn Ellen James.
Kathryn's eyes teared up a little at the honor. "It is a wonderful name that has served me well. I am happy to share it with her." The fact that all of the mothers wanted to name their daughters for her was something she would examine later.
The two women smiled at each other. Delivering a baby in a turbo lift forms a bond that transcends titles and duty. They both knew it was fitting that this child is the one to be named for the Captain.
"I guess I am pretty lucky it was you in the lift. I could have been with someone who didn't know what to do."
Janeway smiled. "Delivering a baby is much easier then a kid. Those hoofs can be quite troublesome and goats are also prone to twins."
Lilly's eyes went wide. "It was a goat? The other baby you delivered was a goat?"
Janeway had a big grin on her face as she winked at the new mother. "It was a very nice goat."
Janeway quickly touched her com badge again. "Janeway to the bridge, report." she heard Ensign Kim's voice respond.
"Bridge here Captain. Repairs are going as predicted. B'Elanna says repairs to the turbo lift will be completed with in the hour and transporters are coming on line now."
"Thank you Harry is Chakotay there?"
"I am here Captain." The commander spoke up.
"Please add Kathryn Ellen James to the ships logs. She was born about 15 minutes ago. And when transporters are on line please lock on to Crewman James and her daughter. Send them directly to sick bay. Then transport me to my quarters. Janeway out."
Lilly and Kathryn were sitting side by side against the lift's wall. "Doctor Janeway?"
Kathryn smiled knowing that was the last time she would hear that title for a long time. "Yes?"
"Some people are wondering why I chose to do this on my own. I don't have a spouse or partner. Before we left Deep Space Nine my husband had the ships doctor collect some DNA. He was sick you see possibly dieing. After the mission he was going to get treatment. We knew that if it worked it would make him sterile."
Lilly looked over at Janeway to see if she was listening. Janeway nodded for her to continue.
"He died when The Care Taker took us. When we get home, and I know we will, his parents will still have someone to meet at the gang plank. Maybe not him, but someone. I have missed him so much I can't seem to move on. I thought that by having the child we wanted I would complete the circle. Maybe by having her, making his last wish come true, I could put him to rest and move on."
Janeway cocked her head. "Can you?"
"I am realizing that she was not his last wish but his last gift. With him gone I have no family at home no one waiting for me. With him gone I never actually cared if we got home or not. I was isolated by that. As our pregnancies progressed the other women and I formed a bond. I was a part of things again. I don't think I could have survived loosing her." Lilly reached out and pulled her Captain in to a hug. She was not thinking of propriety just a need for human contact. "Thank you so much."
Janeway return the hug and pulled away. "Good thing I am only your Dr just now. I am not sure how a pant less crewmen with her arms around a topless Captain would play in Star Fleet." The women were still laughing as they felt the transporter move then from the turbo lift.